Method of forming washing-machine dollies



Jan. 21, 1930. s SCHRQEDER 1,744,509

METHOD OF FORMING WASHING MACHINE DOLLIES Filed Sept. 22, 1927 TT E? ENE'Y'E Patented Jan. 21, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE smoN E. SGHBOEDEB, OF NEwToN, IowA, ssleN'on, BY MESNE AssIGNuENTs, To

AUToMATIc WASHER coMrANY, or NE-wToN, IowA, A CORPORATION or DELA- WARE METHOD OF FORMING WASHING-MACHINE DOLLIEB Application filed September 22, 1927. Serial No. 281,154.

This invention relates to dollies for washing machines. 4

One of the objects of the invention is in the provision of an all-metal dolly for wash- 5 ing machines.

Another object is in the provision of a stamped metal-dolly for washing machines, which is simple in construction and considerably lower priced than the dollies composed of difierent materials or constructed in other manners.

Still another object lies in the method of forming. a washing-machine dolly by using metal stampings and combining them in such manner that there is produced a simple and sturdy washing-machine agitator.

Other objects will appear in the following specification taken in connection with the annexed drawings, in which-'- Fig. 1 is a plan view of the dolly;

Fig. 2 is asectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 5 33 of Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1; 0 Fig. 5 is an end elevation of one of the agtator blades; and Fig. 6 is a side elevation showing in detail one of the agitator blades.

The present applicant has watched the development of washing machines, and especially the so-called dolly type, from the original machine which utilized either the socal ed peg type of dolly or at least some sort of paddle arrangement for agitating the clothes in the water, as well as several other types of dolly of more recent construction. The other well-known types of dolly with which applicant is familiar are namely those constructed either of Wood, with wooden blades thereon, those constructed of cast or die-cast aluminum, and those formed either of a phenolic condensation product or rub her. As a matter of fact, the present applicant was the originator of the flexible rubber dolly and was granted a patent thereon.

The above types of dolly, whether used in the conventional dolly manner, that is, in an elevated positon above the clothes content or" some substitute materal, and especially of late to metal stampings which greatly reduce the cost of production, applicant has devised the present dolly, which is formed of metal, capable of being stamped in a die, the metal itself being either initially rustproof or capable of being submitted to a rustproofing process following the completion of the dolly.

Informing the dolly, applicant takes a flat sheet of metal, which when stamped to the shape required for the conventional disk of a dolly, results in the disk portion indicated in Fig. 1 of the drawings as 10. This disk is substantially flat, with the exception of the raised central portion 11 and the curved outer edges 12, which during the stam ing operation are curved about a wire 13. stamping and curving of the outer edge of the disk about the heavy wire 13 is obviousl for the purpose of strengthening the disk throughout. It is, of course, plainly to be seen that the metal used is rather thin and for this reason much lighter than a disk that would naturally result from the ordinary casting operation. Also, if the disk were made of wood, it would obviously be considerably thicker.

The initial stamping of the disk 10 also results in the formation of threeapertures 14 in the disk, the edges 15 thereof during this operation being left upstanding in a manner to be received by the similarly curved edges of the agitator bladeslater to be dehis clearly in the variousfigures of the drawing.

It is apparent that these agitator blades conform generally to the blades used upon either metal or wooden dollies, with the outer and water-agitatin portions 17 thereof being substantially hig er than the inner ends 18. These blades are of substantial thickness, the metal portion thereof being gradually rounded to prevent tearing of the clothes during the agitation of the dolly in the water and against the clothes content.

Following the blanking out of the agitator blades, I find that the edge portions 19 thereof are outwardly curved in a manner to permit 5 engagement thereof with the extended edges of the disk surrounding the apertures 14.

Both the disk and the agitator blades are now placed in a suitable die, whereupon a final rocess results in the clamping of the adzo acent edges of the disk and agitator blades in a locked position 20, as clearly shown in the drawings.

This final clamping of the edges of the agitator blades and the disk completes the formation of the doll which is now capable of being attached to t e driving shaft.

There has been no means shown for ,connecting the dolly to the drive shaft, whether the shaft be of the type that is projected through the bottom center of the tub or hung from above, it being apparent that an manner of connection with the dolly mig t well be made.

As respects the operation of the dolly, it is apparent that the same is oscillated within a washing-machine tub in a manner to agitate the water as well as the clothes, with a resultin? cleansin of the .clothes. The dolly itse f, due to t e process of forming it, is very li ht, and for this reason requires a minimum 0? power in its operation. The dolly also, due to the use of the thin. metal, may be formed in such manner that the edges thereof are rounded to prevent damaging contact with the clothes content;

It is'apparent that the method of forming the dolly results in a very sturdy construction, as well as one of extremely low cost.

What I claim is q machine dolly with a wire reinforcement, consisting in first stamping the disk portion thereof with a plurality of apertures therein,

1. The method of forming a metal washingapertures and curving the outer edges of tion with the deeper end of the-blades disposed outwardly, and finally uniting the adjacent flanged edge ortions of the disk apertures and agitator b ades in a manner to unite the agitator blades with the disk member as well as to strengthen the entire dolly.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

SIMON E. SCHROEDER.

Ill 

